Improvement in fire-escapes



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE H. ROTSOHKA AND OSCAR F. DAVIS, OF QUINCY, ILLINOIS; SAID ROTSOHKA ASSIGNOR TO SAID DAVIS; SAID DAVIS ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF HIS RIGHT TO ABSALOM J. KALB, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN Fl RE-ESCAPES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 209,137, dated October 232, 1878; application filed February 23, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EUGENE H. ROTSGHKA and OSCAR F. DAVIS, of the city of Quincy, county of Adams, and State of Illinois, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Fire- Escapes, of which the following is a specification:

The object of our invention is to provide a safe and convenient mode of escaping from the upper stories of burning buildings.

Ourinvention relates to that class of firecscapes which consist of a friction block or mechanism for regulating the descent, by a rope or cord, of the inmates of a burning house; and it consists in the construction and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure 1 represents, in perspective, our invention and the manner of using it. Fig. 2'is a side view on a larger scale, and Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the friction-block.

Similar letters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures.

A is a rope or cord of suflicient strength to carry one or more persons, the upper end of which is attached in any suitable manner in the room, or to the window sill or casement, from which it reaches to the street below. B is the friction-block or escape proper.- This consists of a flat oblong metallic box, in the inside of which are formed two lugs or ears, 0 c, of the shape and in the relative position shown in the drawing. At the ends of the box are holes or openings 1) b for the rope A, and in the side of the box is an opening for the shank d of a wedge or brake-block, D. The shank d is connected to a spring, 0, secured upon the outside of the box. The box is provided with a cover, B, held in place by screws 8 s, which said cover may be readily detached, so as to enable the rope A to be adjusted around the ears 0 0 without inconvenience or loss of time.

At the lower end of the box B are formed two perforated ears, 6 e, to one of which is e. The rope or cord A is passed through the block B around the ears 0 c, in the manner shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

It will be observed that the wedge or brakeblock D bears against the cordvor rope A,

forcing it against the ears 0 0, thus increasing the friction.

In operation, the loop formed by the strap F forms a seat for the person who avails himself of the escape, and who, while descending, may regulate the momentum and speed simply by pressing upon the spring 0, which is easily done, as the blockB is preferably grasped in the hand. By pressing sufficiently hard upon-the spring, the descent may be stopped at any desired point.

Having thus described our invention, we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- 1. The herein-described friction-block, con sistin g of box B, having ears or lugs cc, openings b b, and detachable cover B, in combination with the wedge or brake-block D, having shank d and spring 0, substantially as herein described, for the purpose set forth.

2. As an improvement in fire-escapes, the combination, with the rope A, of the frictionblock B, having detachable cover R, brake D d, spring 0, tending to release the brake, perforated ears 0 c, and strap F, all arranged and operating substantially as herein described, for the purpose set forth.

EUGENE H. ROTSOHKA. OSCAR F. DAVIS.

Witnesses: CHARLES M. GILMLER, GALVIN A. WARREN. 

